Gear and axle housing.



A. A. L. JOHNSON.

GEAR AN APPMCATION FILED JUNE 12. 1918.

D AXLE HOUSING.

Patented Jan. 14, 1919 AXEL ARVID L. JOI-DVSON, OF EAMESTQWN, NEW 353%.

GEAR AND AXLE HOUSING.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Axun Anvm L. JOHN sonr, a citizen of the United States, residing?- at the city of Jamestown, in the county of.

Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented certain-new and useful Improvements in Gear and Axle Housings, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

The invention relates to housings for axles and particularly the driving gear and axle of an automobile; and the object of the improvement is to rovide a simple and durable gear and ax e housing which may be stamped from the sheet metal by suitable forming dies so that the interior of the gearmg box or grease container is separated from the axle housings on each side, and said axle housings are attached to the periphery of opposite sides of said gearing ox, the manner of making and shaping the housing being such as to form an exceedingly strong and etficient construction at low cost; .and the invention consists in the nov features and combination hereinafter set orth and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of the driving axle of an automobile with the wheels attached thereto, onehalf of the same being shown in section to make clear the placing and arrangement of the difi'erent parts; and Fig. 2 1s a rear plan view of the same with the rear cover partly broken away and the adjacent axle housin in section. Fig. 3 is a perspective view the axle housing with the front and rear covers removed showin the manner of constructing the same. ig. 4 is a sidewise elevation of the housing with the front and rear covers in place showing the end view of the axle housing as it is attached to one side of the gear housing. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the gear housing before the attachment of the axle housings; and Fig. 6 is a perspective-view of one of the axle housings showing. the preferred form of the same before attachment to the gear box or housing; and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the removable rear cap or cover for the gear box.

Like characters of reference refer to corres ending parts in the several views.

e-numeral 10 designates the metallic ring-gearbox, which is preferably struck from sheet metaland'has t e referably inturned flanges 11 on each si e for the at- Specification of Letters I'ratent.

' monntin Patented Jan. as, iltfiltt Application filed June 12. 1918. Serial No. 239,528.

taclnnent of the rear cap 12 and front con nective gear carrier cover 13. The central gear box 10 has the openin s 14 through each side 'for the round axle shafts 15, the openings 1% fitting the shafts 15 so that the box 10 may act as a grease box for the driving gearing 16 to which gearing the axle shafts 15 are aso con nected so as to turn the wheels The cap 12 and cover 3.3 inclose the open sides 17 of the preferably inwardly flanged ring gear box 10 thereby making a closed box which may he grease packed to lubricate the driving gearing. l6.

The housings 18 for the axleshatts 15 are preferably trumpet shaped; with the larger end 19 flattened to an elliptical form with the curved flange 20 to fit the periphcry of the box 10 for attachment thereto preferably by spot welding, in such position that the holes in the outer ends 21 of the housings 18 are in alinement with one another and with the openings 14 in the grease box 10 so that the axles 15 may be attached to the driving gear 16 in perfect alinement in their connection to the wheels 22. The axle housing 18 is inciosed at its outer end within the tubular housing 23 for the brakes 24 which housing 23 has the flanges 25 for attachin the supporting springs, for the automooi e body.

It is apparent that this simply constructed housingbfor the driving gear and axle of an automo ile may be struck from the sheet metal by suitable forming dies, the central round grease boxidbeing shaped with one flange by the one the and then the flange for the opposite edge turned by a second.

die. Said Flanges 11 may he'turned out but are preferably turned in to give a smooth exterior. The attachment of the axle hone ings 18 to the gear housing; 10 by spot weld ing makes the three main parts of the housing suhstantiallyiintegral at an exceedingly low cost. At the sametime the trumpet shaped axle housings 18 are braced and assist in bracing the cylindrical gear box 1%.

The openings 14 may be packed around the axle shafts 15 if desired. The exterior of each of the tubular ends 21 forms a strong surface for the ball bearings 26 within t e wheel hub 2'? so that with the at 'taeh'ed tubular housings 23 over the outer ends of the axle housings 18, a peculiarly strong mounting is made for the wheels 22 at low cost.

The trout gear carrier cover 13 and rear cover or cap 12 are preferably removably attached by means of screws so as to form an etlicient means of approach to the driving gear 15 for repair or for repacking the box 10 with grease. There is rarely need of removal for said gear carrier cover 18 since the gearing 16 and the parts connected therewith within the cover 13 may he usually approached through the rear cap 12.

The struck up cylindrical shaped ring 10 may be made in difierent shapes but is preferably made round and When'the rear cover 12 and gear carrier cover 13 are attached thereto the combinations makes an exceedingly strong grease container. The flattened asle shaft housings 18 with their curred inner ends to lit the periphery of the struck up ring 10 form a compound truss construction of great strength When the three parts are welded together as hereinhetore describet. The cylindrical ring gear he}; 10 is necessarily large to receive e driving gears 19 and when trussed by e attached axle shaft housings 18 they are .1 sul'hcientstrength so that a light gage heet metal of lesser quality can be used therei'or. The axle shaft housings 18 are gre'ferably made of a better grade of steel or other metal of sufiicient thickness so that the small=outer tubular sections 21 are of ample strength to carry the imposed loads thereon.

1. A gear and axle housing comprising a struck up sheet metal integral ring gear 4 detachable front and rear covers id ring gear housing, sheet metal struck e housings attached to the outer sides in; ring gear housing on the opposite thereof to brace the same, said ring gear housing having close fitting openings th th neenooe in its opposite sides to receive the axle shafts therethrough and making a closed grease box for the driving gear.

'2. A gear-and axle housing comprising a sheet metal integral ring gear housing .hav-

ing inturned flanged edges, front and rear' covers detachably attached to said intnrned flanged edges to form a closed grease box, tubular axle houslng parts having enlarged flanged inner end conformably shaped to fit and be welded to the periphery of said ring gear housing to brace the opposite outer sides thereof, saidring gear housing having openings in the opposite sides there of to fit the axles' 3. A gear and axle housing comprising a sheet metal struck up cylindrical gear housing and grease box having inturned flanged edges, a front cover removably attached to one of said inturned flanges of said cylinfit the axle, said cylindrical gear box having openings in line with said outer ends of said axle housings to receive the axle shafts there through.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

A. ARVID L. JOHNSON. Nitnesses:

H. A. SANonnno, A. W. Kn'r'rnn. 

